Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) pork belly, cut into 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ inch) cubes (you can use up to 1.5 kg/3 lb 5 oz of pork belly for this recipe)
- 1 whole garlic bulb, peeled and roughly chopped (see note 1)
- 3 red onions, diced roughly (brown onions are fine too) (see note 1)
- 1 thumb-sized knob of ginger, sliced and cut into thin matchsticks (see note 1)
- ½ firmly packed cup (115 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (125 ml) tamari or all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice
- 2 star anise
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- Sliced long red chilli (optional)
- Steamed rice and greens, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat and cook the pork belly in batches for 5–8 minutes until browned and golden. Set aside.
- Add the garlic, onion and ginger to the same pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant.
- Add the brown sugar, tamari (or all-purpose soy sauce), Chinese five-spice, star anise and water. Return the pork to the pan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, place the lid on and cook for 2 hours. Check halfway through and add 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water if the sauce is sticking to the base of the pan. The sauce will be thin but will caramelise in the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
- Once cooked, the pork should easily break apart with a fork. If not, cook in 15-minute intervals until soft, adding an extra ¼ cup (60 ml) of water as needed.
- Once the pork is soft, remove the lid and turn the heat to high for 5–10 minutes to let the sauce thicken. It is ready when the sauce is sticky and coats the pork.
- Garnish with the sliced chilli (if using) and serve with steamed rice and greens.
Notes
Note 1 – Don’t worry about cutting the ingredients too finely; they will break down in the delicious, sticky sauce.
MAKE AHEAD
Pork – Cut the pork into pieces as per the recipe and refrigerate in an airtight container up until its expiry date.
Garlic, onion and ginger – Prepare these ingredients as per the recipe and refrigerate (separate from the meat) in an airtight container for up to 24 hours prior to cooking.
LEFTOVERS
Refrigerate cooked leftovers for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months, ensuring the pork is well covered in the sticky broth to prevent freezer burn. Best thawed completely overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium–low heat with a splash of boiling water to help loosen the sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours 40 mins
- Category: pork belly, slow cooker, braised pork belly, slow cooked pork
- Method: pan sear, slow cook
- Cuisine: Asian